Brian Laundrie returned to Florida 5 days after fight with Gabby Petito, emptied storage unit
After Brian Laundrie's sister, Cassie Laundrie said on Monday, October 4 that Brian flew home to Florida from the western US at some point on or before August 17, his lawyer confirmed that Brian did, in fact, return to his home in Florida to get 'supplies' and 'empty a storage unit'. Attorney Steve Bertolino said Tuesday, October 5 that Brian flew to Florida five days after he and Gabby Petito got into a physical fight in Utah, to run some errands. He took a return flight on August 23 to rejoin Petito for the remainder of their trip.
Bertolino noted that the purpose of Brian's brief visit was to pick up some items and close the storage unit because the young couple were thinking of 'extending the road trip' which was due to end in Oregon in October. "Brian flew home to obtain some items and empty and close the storage unit to save money as they contemplated extending the road trip, " Bertolino said. He also added that he believed the couple shared the costs for Laundrie to make the detour. "To my knowledge, Brian and Gabby paid for the flights as they were sharing expenses," he said.
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After Cassie's statements on Brian's return, Steve Bertolino said on October 4 that he does not represent Cassie. He said, "Cassie’s comments can only be attributed to the press twisting my words and hers, which were only given to clarify prior mischaracterizations by the press, with the hopes of further sensationalizing this tragic story." Cassie, when asked if she believed her brother killed Petito and whether she thought he was still alive, said, “I don’t know.” She noted that she did not know anything was wrong until police began questioning her family starting September 11, the day Petito was finally reported missing.
Brian flew to Florida just days after the couple were separated by police in Moab, Utah, following a domestic incident involving Petito and Brian on August 12. Bodycam footage from the encounter saw a distraught Petito telling the cops her boyfriend, Brian had hit her and cut her face by grabbing her 'with his nail' during a fight when he locked her out of their van. Petito was reported missing after a cross-country trip with her boyfriend, who returned to his home in Florida on September 1 in the van the couple was using to commute. Brian, who was the last person to see her, refused to speak with the authorities about her whereabouts. As the quest to find Petito was going on in full swing, Brian was named a 'person of interest' in the case. He went missing from his home in Florida on September 14. Petito's body was found on September 19. An autopsy ruled her death a homicide and till now the police are searching for Brian. Numerous sightings of the fugitive has been reported but nothing useful has been gleaned. Even Dog the Bounty Hunter has jumped in on the search to locate Brian, but his participation is only creating more fodder for news.